1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foamed rubber blend comprising an ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) polymer blend including at least one high molecular weight component and at least one low molecular weight component, and in particular to a foamed rubber blend that can be vulcanized as an extrudate via a microwave vulcanization step, or a hot air vulcanization step. The present invention also relates to articles formed by sulfur vulcanization of the foamed rubber blend of the present invention.
2. Description of Related Art
Weather stripping comprising a spongy portion with a high degree of foam content is desirable due to its light weight and low density, since a reduced amount of raw materials can be used per given volume. These advantageous properties can be further enhanced by increasing the degree of foaming of the foamed rubber blend from which the weather stripping is made by increasing the amount of foaming agent in the composition. However, increasing the degree of foaming compromises both the resistance of the weather stripping to fatigue and the rigidity of the weather stripping.